


The Best Thing That's Ever Been

by incorrectbatfam



Category: DCU (Comics), Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Fluff, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Out of Character, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-06
Updated: 2020-07-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:54:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25113481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/incorrectbatfam/pseuds/incorrectbatfam
Summary: “You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded.You say we'll never make my parents' mistakes.”
Relationships: Bart Allen/Jaime Reyes, Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 41





	The Best Thing That's Ever Been

**Author's Note:**

> Title, summary, and basically the entire story is based on "Mine" by Taylor Swift

**The woman flipped the page.**

**“Here’s me and your father on our wedding day,” she said. “We were so young and in love back then.”**

**The four-year-old crawled onto his mother’s lap and curled up against her warm body. “Was that the best day of your life?”**

**She glanced in the direction of the cold, empty kitchen.**

**She pursed her lips and closed the book.**

* * *

Moving into an apartment halfway across the country was no easy feat. 

Leaving his hometown amid a war was infinitely harder. 

Part of him wanted to stay. He wanted to dig through the rubble, scavenging for anything that could be salvaged—any shred of evidence that said, “We have all the parts. We can fix this.”

The other part knew it was nothing but a childish fantasy.

The twenty-three-year-old barked out a single, bitter laugh as he set down the last cardboard box on the kitchen table with a dull  _ thud _ .

“Get with the program, Bart,” he said to himself. “You can’t fix what was never whole.”

His stomach grumbled and he cursed himself for finishing everything on the long drive. Grabbing his keys, he uttered a quick “see you later” to his goldfish and stepped out into the bustling street. 

Unsure of what he was craving, he let the traffic lights guide him. He crossed the intersections with the walk sign lit up, without a care as to which turns he was taking. The warm wind ruffled his auburn hair. Instinctively, he pulled it back into a ponytail as a quaint café came into view. Colorful paper cutouts hung from the awning and the smell of cinnamon sugar mingled with the sea breeze. A single server was cleaning the outdoor tables, balancing a tower of dirty dishes on one hand while tucking away checkbooks with the other.

Bart slipped into a corner table despite the place being sparse. Not too far away, sitting in a tight booth, a man and a woman were arguing as loud as was socially acceptable in public, shouting over each other until their words melded into garbled nonsense. His breath quickened as he tore his eyes away, focusing on the swirling wood of the table.

**_He was a child again. Four or six or nine or thirteen or something. He couldn’t place his finger on it but it wasn’t important. What was important was that he find shelter as quickly as he could._ **

**_He locked his bedroom door and dove under the covers. The safety blanket did nothing to muffle the sounds. From the other side of the tiny house, his father’s voice thundered like a firing squad, while his mother was the wailing sirens of rescuers trying to pick up the pieces, only to be gunned down once more._ **

**_He could hear their voices grow rawer and rawer as they screamed, and he squeezed his eyes shut, praying that it would let up sooner rather than later._ **

Bart flinched when a hand waved in front of his face, stomach churning. The person—the server from outside—drew it back right away.

“ _ Lo siento _ ,” the waiter stammered, scratching the back of his head. “I can come back later. You seem  _ ocupado _ —er, I mean, busy.”

The waiter appeared around the same height—maybe an inch or two taller—than Bart. Obsidian hair hung slightly past the man’s ears, with bangs framing a sharp jawline and dark mocha eyes. The mid-day sunlight from the window gave his caramel skin a movie-like glow. His uniform hugged every angle of his physique, but Bart was more focused on the nametag:

_ Jaime _ .

“I’m fine,” Bart brushed off, quickly averting his eyes.

“Okay…” Jaime said, obviously not believing him. “So, uh, what can I get you?”

Bart glanced down at the menu, nowhere near long enough to read it but he didn’t care.

“Just a cup of coffee,” he said.

“That’s it? You sure?”

He ignored his conflicting stomach and replied, “Yeah. Four sugars, please.”

As soon as Jaime left, Bart peered up from behind a menu to see him talking to a teenage girl at the register, occasionally glancing in his direction. He looked back down as Jaime swung back around, setting down a cup of coffee and, to Bart’s surprise, a slice of cake before walking away without another word. Amused, he sunk his fork into it as he watched the waiter go about his tasks. Occasionally, Jaime glanced over his shoulder, meeting Bart’s knowing gaze, only to look away as soon as their eyes met.

Ten minutes later, Bart made his way to the register, counting out his money.

“That’ll be $2.70,” the girl said.

“What about the cake?” he asked.

She looked over her shoulder, at the waiter who was refilling a water pitcher in the kitchen.

“ _ Mi hermano idiota _ says that’s on the house,” she replied. “He thinks you’re cute and wants to know if you’re into guys.”

“Uh, yeah, I guess,” he said, dropping some extra cash into the tip jar, a smile on his lips as the other man facepalmed. 

“Cool. Wanna go on a date with him?”

Bart laughed. “Did you just ask me out on his behalf?”

The girl snorted. “Someone had to, and he’s too much of  _ un miedoso _ to do it himself.”

He wasn’t looking for a serious relationship by any measure, but he decided to humor the waiter and answered, “Sure, why not.”

_ “It’s just one date,” _ Bart thought.  _ “Not like anything will happen.” _

The sun shone on Bart’s freckled body as he waited at the boardwalk entrance, checking his phone every so often as the minutes ticked closer to the time he and Jaime were supposed to meet up. Jaime’s sister suggested it, saying it wouldn’t be too crowded in the off-season, though she placed an odd amount of emphasis on the private boat rentals. Bart shrugged it off; teenagers will be teenagers.

He spotted Jaime across the sidewalk and jogged over. The latter appeared different outside of his restaurant uniform, donning a relaxed blue shirt and jeans. There was still an air of nervousness around him, and Bart was determined to dispel that.

“You look good,” he commented. “A bit like you came out of  _ Big Brother _ , but it’s working for you.”

Jaime chuckled, visibly relaxing. “You’re not so bad yourself.” He held out his hand. “Shall we?”

Bart hesitated before taking it.

Much to Bart’s surprise, talking to Jaime turned out to be the easiest thing ever. They had a good laugh over how Bart was asked out. Jaime told him about how his sister did the same thing for his high school prom, asking a girl out for him in front of the entire school. 

“What about you?” Jaime asked as a booth worker handed them their mini donuts.

“Huh?”

“Your prom,” he clarified. “It couldn’t have been as disastrous as mine.”

“Oh, I didn’t go,” Bart replied. “All my friends had dates and I didn’t wanna be a ninth wheel.”

Jaime paused mid-bite and swallowed. “Wait, you never went? You never got a dance?”

Bart shook his head. “Heard it was overrated. It’s no big deal.”

Jaime held out his hand.

“Uh, what are you doing?” Bart asked. 

“Just trust me” was the reply.

Bart internally debated for a second before taking Jaime’s hand. Before he could process it, he was being twirled under Jaime’s arm. Bart threw his head back and laughed as he spun around, catching himself before he bumped into a garbage can.

“There,” Jaime said. “That’s always the best part of any dance.”

“Wow,” he remarked. “First date and first dance in the same afternoon? How lucky.”

Jaime stopped. “Wait, you’ve never been on a date before?”

He bit his lip and looked away. “I know, I know. I’m twenty-three and have never been on a date. Go ahead, laugh.”

“I wasn’t gonna do that,” Jaime said. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Really?”

“Really,” he affirmed. “Though if I knew it was your first, I wouldn’t have let my sister ask you.”

“Hey, families are like that sometimes,” Bart said. “I don’t have siblings, but that seems like a thing they’d do.”

“Thank God I’m getting my own place soon. I’m only working here to pay for med school,” Jaime said. “How about you?”

“I’m a freelancer,” Bart answered. “Finished art school last year in my hometown and I needed a change in scenery. I just moved here three days ago.”

Jaime’s eyebrows flew up. “Damn, and you already landed a date.”

Bart laughed. “Yeah. Got a date before I got a tour of this place. Priorities are really straightened out.”

“As if any part of you is straight,” Jaime snorted. “Though if you want, I can give you a quick tour.”

“You can do an entire city in an afternoon?”

“ _ Cariño _ , you have no idea.”

The city stretched endlessly along the horizon in a single black silhouette. Above, the sky was painted a fiery orange, broken up by lavender clouds and seagulls flying overhead. Below, gentle waves rocked the rowboat like a mother putting her baby to sleep. Water lapped at the sides, but not one drop touched the couple as they drifted along the sandy coast, the oars resting on their laps. 

Despite the breathtaking view, if there was one thing Bart couldn’t take his eyes from, it was Jaime, as the latter pointed to various structures, telling the intricate story behind each one. Bart latched onto every word, including the Spanish ones he couldn’t understand. The scene felt natural. Felt  _ right _ .

And deep down, that scared him.

**_“Mom, how did you and Dad meet?” he asked._ **

**_She set down her soapy dishes._ **

**_“It was the most romantic thing ever,” she answered. “We met at his workplace, and he took me on a boat ride and we watched the sunset together. I felt like I was in a fairytale.”_ **

He felt Jaime’s hands take his.

“Bart? Is something wrong?”

Bart shook the memory off as quickly as it came. 

“It’s fine,” he answered, pulling his hand away. “I’m fine.”

“You sure?” Jaime asked. “You did the same thing back at the restaurant. Kinda… spaced out.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Bart insisted. “We should head back. It’s getting late.”

“The sunset’s nice,” Jaime commented. “We can watch it together if you want.”

He shook his head. “I’d rather not.”

Jaime reached for the donut bag from earlier. 

“You at least want the last one?” he asked, holding it out to Bart.

“Yeah. Sure. Why not.”

The walk to Bart’s apartment was silent, and it left him with plenty of time to mull things over. Bart had sworn to himself that he wouldn’t repeat their mistakes. And the simplest way to do that was to just fly solo. Yet here he was, going home after a first date that was eerily similar to theirs. He wondered if it was fate; if he was doomed to end up like his mother and father.

_ “Better like Mom than Dad,” _ was his thought. 

The building was less than a block away when Jaime stopped, fingers brushing against Bart’s, but not holding his hand.

“If it’s something did, I’m sorry,” Jaime said. 

Taken aback, Bart blinked.

“What are you talking about? You didn’t do anything.”

Jaime bit his lip. “You seemed— _ como se dice _ …—uncomfortable.”

“That’s not you,” he replied. “That’s just… nevermind. But it’s not you.”

“If you say so,” Jaime said. “If there’s anything I can do, just say the word.”

“No need. You already gave me one super awesome date.”

Jaime looked down, twiddling his thumbs. “I was wondering if you wanted to, er, make that two dates? I had a great time with you and I like you.”

Making their way to the front steps, Bart said, “I’ll think about it and text you later, ‘kay?”, ignoring the strange sensation in his chest.

As soon he was alone, he slid his back down the door and buried his head in his knees.

“Watch yourself, Allen. Don’t get in over your head.”

Bart never had a partner in grade school or college. He was always focused on either homework or trying to keep the peace between his parents. Looking back, he came to the depressing realization that the volatile couple probably only stayed together for his sake. He hated himself for wishing they’d just gotten a divorce, but at some point, the screaming and the broken glass needed to  _ stop _ .

But there was a desperate need clawing at his chest—every creature’s innate desire to love and be loved, to find someone who to share pain and laughter and secrets with. The problem was that humans weren’t like other creatures. In their evolution, humans developed the ability to lie and cheat and cause unimaginable amounts of pain.

_ “Humans also build families and cities,” _ he reminded himself.  _ “Humans help and heal and lift each other up.” _

He could end it here. Tell Jaime that he wasn’t interested. Save himself a world of trouble in the long run. 

Against his better judgment, he texted: “Yes”.

The second date was more lowkey. Jaime’s family was out for the night, so the two of them had the entire house to themselves. They ordered takeout and put on a random movie. Throughout the evening, Bart reminded himself not to get his hopes up. Two dates didn’t indicate anything.

The TV glowed in the dark living room, the sound fading into white noise. Chinese takeout boxes littered the coffee table. Jaime’s head rested on Bart’s lap. Bart twirled the dark locks between his fingers. Despite the churning in his stomach, he felt at ease, as if he could live in that moment forever.

“Bart?”

“Hm?” he looked down.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?”

He let out a single chuckle, looking back up. 

“Attraction at first sight, maybe,” he said. “Like having the hots for someone. But love? Definitely not.”

Jaime propped himself up on his elbow. “What makes you say that?”

Bart pursed his lips. “I just think love is… complicated. Like, it doesn’t work out the way people expect. Lot of times, it doesn’t work out at all.”

“You said you never dated anyone before. How can you be so sure?”

He sighed. “It’s all I ever saw around me.”

Jaime sat up and scooted closer. “What if someone could show you otherwise?”

“Yeah, right,” he scoffed.

“I mean it.”

Their faces inched closer and Bart swallowed. He felt Jaime’s thumb trace his jawline and their warm breaths mingled together.

“Bart?”

“Yeah?” he whispered back.

“Can I kiss you?”

He had heard a lot about kisses. A person’s first one was said to be something sacred. People were told to wait for the right moment, and not waste it like it was a game. It was said to be something magical.

“Yes.”

And something magical it was.

Bart set the last box on the kitchen table with a dull  _ thud _ . A new set of house keys jingled on his lanyard. The loud hammering of his boyfriend’s third attempt at putting together a bookshelf echoed from outside.

“How’s it going over there?” Bart called. “Need a hand?”

Like the other two times, Jaime replied, “No, I got this,  _ lo juro _ .”

Bart grabbed two bottles of water from the refrigerator and stepped onto the fire escape. He kicked aside a couple of dead leaves stuck in the grate. Jaime muttered to himself in Spanish as he flipped through the instruction manual.

“There’s no shame in asking for help,” he said. “I heard the upstairs neighbor knows Swedish.”

Jaime accepted the drink as Bart bent down to place a peck on his lips.

“I told you, I got this,” Jaime insisted.

“Mhm, I believe you,” he said. “It’s coming along great. Couple more hours and might look like a pile of kindling.”

“ _ Cállate _ .”

“I love you too,” Bart teased. “If you need me, I’ll be inside unpacking the rest.”

As he navigated the maze of cardboard and styrofoam, Bart snickered as he heard something fall from the balcony, followed by a string of both English and foreign cuss words. He stopped at the small box on the kitchen table. He split open the top and tossed the bubble wrap over his shoulder, making a mental note to pop it with Jaime after dinner.

His expression softened as he took a photo frame in his fingers. He brushed off the thin layer of dust on the glass.

**_“I had a few drinks, big deal.”_ **

**_“Liar! It’s never ‘a few with you. Think of the kind of example you’re setting for Bart.”_ **

**_“Quit nagging me, woman! I’m an adult, I can do what I want!”_ **

**_“You’re an adult with obligations and I’m sick of you acting like you’re still a college frat boy!”_ **

**_“I thought you liked it, Mel! I thought you said you loved me because I’m fun!”_ **

**_“That was the past. You used to be fun, now you’re just irresponsible.”_ **

**_“So you’re saying you don’t love me anymore? Is that what it is?”_ **

**_“Maybe I don’t, Don. You’re not the man I used to know. You’re just a deadbeat and a liability!”_ **

**_WHACK!_ **

**_Bart gasped from where he was hiding behind the couch. He clamped his hand over his mouth, tears in his eyes as he watched his mother clutch the side of her face. He backed into the dark hallway before the stench of alcohol could reach him._ **

**_“Don’t ever speak to me like that again,” the man glowered._ **

**_“You just can’t accept the fact that you’re wrong!”_ **

**_“I’m the man of this house, I can do whatever the hell I want!”_ **

Bart tossed the photo back in the box. His breath quickened as his knuckles turned white from gripping the edge of the table.

Jaime wouldn’t do that, he told himself. Jaime was goodness incarnate. Jaime spent three hours searching up culturally appropriate names for an Egyptian houseplant. He was patient when Bart couldn’t be. He was loving and sweet and everything Don Allen wasn’t.

The devil on Bart’s shoulder spoke.  _ “Dad was once like that with Mom.” _

His thoughts were cut off when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

“You okay,  _ mi querido _ ?”

Bart took a shaky breath and answered, “Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You know you can tell me anything,” replied Jaime.

Bart sighed and took the frame gingerly.

“This was the last good picture we took as a family,” he said. “I was four or five, I think. Shortly after, my dad started going out with his friends. He’d leave before dinner and wouldn’t come back ‘til almost breakfast.”

He pursed his lips.

“He was… angrier, when he drank,” he continued. “He and my mom fought every night. Sometimes, if she said the wrong thing, he’d…”

Jaime squeezed tighter, resting his chin on Bart’s shoulder.

“I’m… sorry that happened,” was Jaime’s reply.

“The past is the past. Best I can do is try not to repeat history.”

“We won’t,” the older man assured. “We’ll do better.”

Bart laced their fingers together and prayed that Jaime was right.

“We’ve been walking forever. Can I open my eyes now?” Bart asked.

“Not yet,  _ mi amor _ ,” Jaime replied.

A few seconds later, he asked, “How about now?”

Jaime laughed. “Sure, we’re here anyway.”

Bart removed the scarf around his eyes and gasped. Tied to the dock was a brown rowboat. Candles lined the path like lightning bugs emerging in the twilight, and among it, Jaime stood with an outstretched hand.

“Happy four-year anniversary,” he said. “I wanted to recreate our first date.”

“It’s beautiful.”

Jaime replied, “It’s what you deserve.”

As the two made their way down the dock, they paused as Bart twirled under Jaime’s arm to the tune of a nonexistent song. Then they stepped in the boat and took off.

It was as breathtaking as that first day. The city faded out of view as they drifted into the serenely still sea. The last inklings of the sun reflected in the water, looking almost like streaks of fire. 

“Woah…” he breathed.

“I was gonna say the same thing.”

Bart turned to Jaime, who was staring straight at him.

The younger man giggled. “You’re such a sap, you know that?”

“You love it.”

Bart nuzzled his nose with Jaime’s. “Yeah, I do.”

Jaime pointed behind Bart, exclaiming, “ _ ¡Mire!  _ Look, dolphins!”

Bart whirled around, eyes wide. For a solid thirty seconds, he searched the waters for any sign of the animals, but the ocean remained as still as it was before.

Turning back around, Bart said, “Hey, I don’t see any–”

His hand flew to his mouth. Resting in Jaime’s palm was a black box, and in it a sparkling diamond ring.

Before Jaime could say anything, Bart screamed, “Yes! Yesyesyesyes  _ yes _ !”

As soon as the ring was slipped onto his finger, he lunged forward into Jaime’s arms.

The momentum tipped the boat and they flipped over, plunging into the cold water. As it surrounded them, Bart pulled Jaime close, their lips crashing together as the waves lapped over their heads.

_ “This is it,” _ he thought.  _ “We’re gonna make it.” _

His fingers drummed against the counter as he checked his watch for the umpteenth time. Exhaling, Bart ran his fingers through his hair. 

Jaime would be back. He was just out with his friends. Again.

It was fine, Bart told himself. He was allowed to have his own life. It wasn’t a big deal. Everyone needed to unwind. Bart didn’t blame him.

_ “Mom thought the same thing.” _

“No,” Bart said aloud, “this is not the same. Jaime will be back any minute.”

As if on cue, the door clicked open. Jaime stumbled through, shirt half-unbuttoned and cheeks flushed. He tossed his jacket on the couch before heading to the fridge, not even noticing Bart as he passed. 

“Evening,” Bart said. “Or should I say morning? You know, ‘cause it’s two-thirty.”

“Oh, hey, didn’t see you there,” Jaime said, grabbing a bottle of water. “Sorry I’m late, got caught in traffic.”

“For the third night in a row?” Bart asked, raising an eyebrow. “I wasn’t born yesterday, Jaime.”

Jaime rolled his eyes. “Okay, fine, I might’ve gotten sidetracked. No big deal.”

_ “That’s what Dad used to say.” _

Bart waved him off. “Right. Whatever. No big deal.”

Jaime asked, “Are you mad at me?”

“ _ Nooo _ ,” he drawled. “Not at all. Why would I mad that my fiancé left me home with all the responsibilities while he goes out for an extended happy hour?”

Crossing his arms, Jaime said, “You know I’m an adult, right? I can do whatever I want. Just ‘cause we’re engaged doesn’t mean I have to be with you at every moment.”

“I wasn’t saying that,” Bart replied, “but we haven’t seen each other besides in the mornings since Wednesday. So excuse me for getting a little upset. I’d just like to know my partner is here, like he’s supposed to be.”

“I’m starting to see why some people stay single,” Jaime muttered under his breath.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“No,” Bart said, waving his finger. “Say that again.”

“Fine,” Jaime repeated, voice rising. “Maybe I’m getting sick of you tying me down.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means wherever I go, you go. Whatever I do, you do. It’s like you don’t know how to leave someone alone for one goddamn moment!”

“Hey, I’m not stopping you from doing anything!” Bart exclaimed. “I let you go out and do crap all with whoever you want because I care about your happiness. But once in a while, I’d like to be happy too!”

“I’m not stopping you either,” Jaime retorted. “You do whatever makes you happy.”

“You’re missing the point! I want to be with you!”

“Well right now you’re just getting on my nerves,” Jaime snapped.

Bart’s head hurt from holding back the tears and he said, “And you’re starting to sound just like my dad.”

“What?”

“You heard me!” he shouted. “I said you sound like my asshole of a dad!”

Jaime raised his hand, only to lower it immediately, eyes widening as realization sunk in. 

By then, Bart was already out the door, sprinting into the night. The only thing on his mind was to  _ run _ . 

_ Run, get out, don’t let history repeat itself.  _

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. 

**_The screen door rattled as his father stormed out._ **

Things were supposed to be different.

They were supposed to be different.

**_His mother screamed at the top of her lungs, “Good riddance, scumbag!”_ **

Tears flowed freely down his face as he sprinted down the empty street.

**_Bart chased after the man as fast as his legs could carry, begging, “Dad! Come back! Please, come back!”_ **

**_“Screw off, kid,” the man fired. “Do yourself a favor: never fall in love. Capiche?”_ **

He was stopped by someone grabbing his elbow. Instinctively, he pulled away.

“Bart.”

This was it. Jaime wanted him gone. This was goodbye. Bart saw it coming from the very first day, yet he was woefully unprepared. It was his fault, he figured. It was his fault for falling in love and thinking he could be loved back and that it could work.

“Bart, I’m sorry. I messed up. I didn’t mean any of that.”

“Let me go.”

To his surprise, gentle hands caressed his face.

“You don’t have to say anything, just listen.”

Jaime pressed their foreheads together. With his thumb, he swiped the tears from Bart’s face.

He said, “Before I met you, I thought I had everything I could possibly need. Then you came along and you took my breath away. That second date, I asked you if you believed in love at first sight because that’s how you made me feel the first time I saw you, and it’s how I feel every time I look at you. I promised you that we’re not gonna be like your parents and I intend to keep my word, whatever it takes.”

_ “This never happened with Mom and Dad.” _

With no precedent to draw from, Bart had nothing to follow but his instinct. And his instincts told him to go back, to try again, because what they had was worth it.

“ _ Por favor _ ,” Jaime begged, “Don’t go.”

Bart threw his arms around Jaime and buried his face in the older man’s shoulder.

“I won’t.”

* * *

**“Dad, I can’t reach it.” The four-year-old’s fingers brushed against the bookshelf, unable to grab the contents of it.**

**Bart walked over and pulled a photo album off the shelf. “This one?”**

**“Yes!” the child cheered. “The pictures! Tell me about the pictures!”**

**He laughed as he sat on the rug. The little boy crawled onto his lap as he opened it.**

**“Alright, squirt,” Bart said. “You’ve seen this one before. It’s me and your papa on our wedding day.”**

**The boy craned his head to look at Bart. “Was that the best day of your life?”**

**Bart glanced towards the kitchen, where his husband was making funny faces to a baby in a high chair.**

**He smiled and turned the page.**


End file.
